What is the importance of Ellingham diagram? 2. Using the following Ellingham diagram select the suitable reducing agents

Question

1. What is the importance of Ellingham diagram?

2. Using the following Ellingham diagram select the suitable reducing agents that can be used for the reduction of Fe₂O₃ in blast furnace above and below 1000 K.

Answer 1

1. Ellingham diagram help us in predicting the feasibility of thermal reduction of ore. The criteria is that at a given temperature Gibbs energy of reaction should be negative.

2. Below 1000 K CO is the good reducing agent while above 1000 K carbon is the good reducing agent. This is because below 1000 K the (CO,CO₂) line is below the (Fe,FeO) line. But, above 1000 K the (C,CO₂) line is below the (Fe,FeO) line.